Grants to benefit imperiled wildlife

Published: Wednesday, August 21, 2013 at 7:23 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, August 21, 2013 at 7:23 a.m.

Imperiled species will benefit from a total of $5.1 million in grants to 11 states through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s competitive State Wildlife Grants program.

The grants, which focus on large-scale conservation projects yielding measurable results, will be matched by more than $3.1 million in non-federal funds from states and their partners for projects that work to conserve and recover Species of Greatest Conservation Need and their habitats.

“The projects funded by these grants target some of the most imperiled species and habitats in the United States,” said Service Director Dan Ashe. “These projects are receiving funding because they are tied to well-thought-out conservation plans that identify the highest-priority areas where we can make the biggest difference for imperiled species.”

The SWG funds will benefit a variety of species and habitats: In North Carolina and South Carolina, partners’ work will help inform decision-making and management for the robust redhorse and up to 52 additional fishes, mussels and crayfish.

For more information about each of the grant projects, visit: wsfrprograms. fws.gov/Subpages/GrantPrograms/SWG/ SWG2013FundedProjects.pdf.

SWG-funded projects implement strategies and actions to conserve SGCN as identified in approved State Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Plans (also known as State Wildlife Action Plans). unding for the grants comes from fiscal year 2013 appropriations.

All 50 states and six territorial wildlife agencies have approved State Wildlife Action Plans that collectively provide a nationwide blueprint for actions to conserve SGCN.

The plans were created through a collaborative effort among state and federal agencies, biologists, conservationists, landowners, sportsmen and the general public.

Robust redhorse recovery

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Division of Inland Fisheries received money for a “Robust Redhorse Recovery and Habitat Restoration” project in North and South Carolina.

The robust redhorse, a large fish found in only three river drainages in the southeastern U.S., is a state-listed endangered species in North Carolina.

Little is known of the effects of common contaminants on water quality and the species’ food web dynamics, uncertainties which must be resolved before the fish can be effectively restored. The collaborative effort will rely on expertise from the U.S. Geological Survey, North Carolina State University and the state resource agencies of North and South Carolina.

Field sampling and laboratory analyses will allow the partners to develop population and food web models to describe and project the effects of habitat and water quality changes on populations of the species.

The results will inform decision-making and management for the robust redhorse along with up to 52 additional fishes, mussels, and crayfish.

Federal funds requested: $460,000; non-fed match: $225,400.

Conservation opportunities

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Division of Inland Fisheries received funds to identify conservation opportunity areas for the 2015 revision of the North Carolina Wildlife Action Plan.

The Wildlife Resources Commission will work with the U.S. Geological Survey and North Carolina State University to implement strategies recommended by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies for revision of the North Carolina State Wildlife Action Plan.

A key advance will be made by utilizing spatial models to analyze and map Conservation Opportunity Areas based on habitat threats such as urban growth, pollution, and impacts from climate change.

Partners will consolidate and maintain these data sets, making them available to the public through an internet data portal.

<p>Imperiled species will benefit from a total of $5.1 million in grants to 11 states through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's competitive State Wildlife Grants program.</p><p>The grants, which focus on large-scale conservation projects yielding measurable results, will be matched by more than $3.1 million in non-federal funds from states and their partners for projects that work to conserve and recover Species of Greatest Conservation Need and their habitats.</p><p>“The projects funded by these grants target some of the most imperiled species and habitats in the United States,” said Service Director Dan Ashe. “These projects are receiving funding because they are tied to well-thought-out conservation plans that identify the highest-priority areas where we can make the biggest difference for imperiled species.”</p><p>The SWG funds will benefit a variety of species and habitats: In North Carolina and South Carolina, partners' work will help inform decision-making and management for the robust redhorse and up to 52 additional fishes, mussels and crayfish.</p><p>For more information about each of the grant projects, visit: wsfrprograms. fws.gov/Subpages/GrantPrograms/SWG/ SWG2013FundedProjects.pdf.</p><p>SWG-funded projects implement strategies and actions to conserve SGCN as identified in approved State Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Plans (also known as State Wildlife Action Plans). unding for the grants comes from fiscal year 2013 appropriations.</p><p>All 50 states and six territorial wildlife agencies have approved State Wildlife Action Plans that collectively provide a nationwide blueprint for actions to conserve SGCN.</p><p>The plans were created through a collaborative effort among state and federal agencies, biologists, conservationists, landowners, sportsmen and the general public.</p><p>Robust redhorse recovery</p><p>The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Division of Inland Fisheries received money for a “Robust Redhorse Recovery and Habitat Restoration” project in North and South Carolina.</p><p>The robust redhorse, a large fish found in only three river drainages in the southeastern U.S., is a state-listed endangered species in North Carolina.</p><p>Little is known of the effects of common contaminants on water quality and the species' food web dynamics, uncertainties which must be resolved before the fish can be effectively restored. The collaborative effort will rely on expertise from the U.S. Geological Survey, North Carolina State University and the state resource agencies of North and South Carolina.</p><p>Field sampling and laboratory analyses will allow the partners to develop population and food web models to describe and project the effects of habitat and water quality changes on populations of the species.</p><p>The results will inform decision-making and management for the robust redhorse along with up to 52 additional fishes, mussels, and crayfish.</p><p>Federal funds requested: $460,000; non-fed match: $225,400.</p><p>Conservation opportunities</p><p>The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Division of Inland Fisheries received funds to identify conservation opportunity areas for the 2015 revision of the North Carolina Wildlife Action Plan.</p><p>The Wildlife Resources Commission will work with the U.S. Geological Survey and North Carolina State University to implement strategies recommended by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies for revision of the North Carolina State Wildlife Action Plan.</p><p>A key advance will be made by utilizing spatial models to analyze and map Conservation Opportunity Areas based on habitat threats such as urban growth, pollution, and impacts from climate change.</p><p>Partners will consolidate and maintain these data sets, making them available to the public through an internet data portal.</p><p>Federal funds requested: $94,374; nonfed match: $31,458.</p>